GoFundMe Campaign Set Up to Send Morristown Olympian's Family to Rio

Morristown Olympian Christina Epps is on her way to compete in Rio soon, almost 5,000 miles away from home. If everything falls into place like Epps hopes, her mom and step-dad will be en route to Brazil as well

The Olympic games start this Friday. Time is running out to come up with the funds to send the couple on this once in a lifetime opportunity. Epps will jump in Rio on Aug. 13.

Epps is a track and field triple jumper and qualified to go to the Olympics on July 7. Epps jumped 14.17 meters (48.2 feet), which surpassed the 14.15 meters necessary to qualify, according to Morris Town Green.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Beverly Epps-Blackwell, Epps’ mother, and Kevin Blackwell, Epps’ step-dad go to Rio to see Epps in the Olympics. Epps is the sixth of Epps-Blackwell's seven children.

Penelope Smith-Lopez, a family friend, set up the fundraising page. So far, the GoFundMe page has raised $6,289 of the $12,000 goal in six days.

The page has a goal of $12,000 to cover the cost of flying and hotels. It costs over $5,000 to fly the two to Rio. Then, they must stay in a hotel for however long Epps participates in the Olympics.

“We are expecting Olympic gold so we need to keep Beverly in a hotel long enough to watch her daughter step onto the Podium and receive her medal,” The GoFundMe page says.

To help Epps’s family join her in Rio, visit this GoFundMe page.